Category: Music

Carly Pearce is preparing to release her fifth studio album, Honest Woman, a collection of songs that found the GRAMMY winner rediscovering who she is and falling in love with country music all over again. The 16-track project, out August 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, marks her first release with her new label home and follows a series of changes behind the scenes in her career.

We recently caught up with Pearce at her label’s Nashville headquarters, where she opened up about feeling like she’s exactly where she needs to be with her new team, the latest releases from the project including “She Don’t” and “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” her duet with Riley Green, and rediscovering the passion that brought her to country music in the first place.

In recent months, the team behind the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter has changed. In March, Pearce was announced as the first client at the newly formed Borchetta Entertainment Group, led by Scott Borchetta. A few months later, it was revealed that Pearce signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, marking another exciting step in her career.

Of the changes, Pearce explained, “There’s a lot that has gone on behind the scenes and it’s something that I think people don’t know all that goes into it. I feel that God continues, even if he scares me at first, he protects me and he gives me exactly what I need. I think for this album, I am exactly where I’m supposed to be and it came in such a surprising way but truly is such an exciting thing. And I think having just a set of people that really feel equipped and passionate with my vision and work harder than anybody I’ve ever seen, I feel like it’s a blessing to be here now.”

With a new team behind her, Pearce is heading into the release of Honest Woman more excited than ever. The project will offer fans a full picture of where she is in her life right now. Fans have already gotten a taste of what’s to come through early releases like the emotional “Dream Come True,” the unfiltered “Church Girl,” the sassy “You Can Have Him,” and the chart-climbing single featuring Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.”

As someone with a deep appreciation for the genre and a love for ‘90s country, Pearce said she can’t help but love a male/female collaboration.

“I clearly love a duet, but it’s because I’m such a fan. And I think for me, those duets in the 90s, the male female duets, there was nothing better. I think of ‘It’s Your Love’ and I think about just the timeless ability to have both perspectives that’s special. That then is universally speaking to everyone.”

She went on to recall the moment she first heard Green’s vocals on the song and shared her honest reaction.

“I remember asking Riley to be a part of this song and I was so excited and he sent me a voice memo of him singing a little bit and I got excited. But I will tell you, I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that I had gotten the final mix and I listened to it at like two in the morning and I knew I’m such like a gut reaction person and I knew this is going to be a big one,” she shared. “There’s just something when you can find another artist that really matches you vocally. I think it’s the bluegrass girl in me. When people sing together, it’s like you’re looking for that perfect blend and I felt like we had it.”

Most recently, Pearce shared another new track from Honest Woman: “She Don’t.” With ‘90s country influences throughout, the song tells the story of a girl whose dreams are much bigger than the small town she grew up in and her journey to finding the courage to follow her own path rather than the one everyone in her hometown expects of her.

While she didn’t have a hand in writing the song, Pearce admits she felt immediately drawn to the storyline.

“I came from a small town and I always felt too big for just not the people in it, but just the stigma that you could never get out and be anything bigger than living within the county lines. And if you want to stay there, that’s fine. But I think this song really just speaks to that fearless girl in me that left Kentucky at 16 and moved to Pigeon Forge to sing at Dollywood and then moved to Nashville. I very much feel like the sound of it is reminiscent of all of the ladies that made me want to do this. So it’s kind of like paying tribute to them and also paying tribute to me as a kid.”

After more than a decade in country music, Pearce says Honest Woman represents a return to the reason she fell in love with the genre and chose this path in the first place.

“It’s been a decade since my first single came out and with that, I’ve had so many high highs and a lot of lows. And over the last few years, I really had to find my why again of why I wanted to do this in the first place. And I feel like I found it through this album.”

Honest Woman will be released on August 28 via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

The post Carly Pearce Opens Up About New Chapter, Finding Herself Again on ‘Honest Woman’ [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.

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Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood could give their kids almost anything — but the one thing they’re most focused on passing down costs nothing at all. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

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Blake Shelton continues to turn heads with his latest single, “Let Him In Anyway,” as it climbs into the Top 30 at country radio and beyond. The song continues to gain momentum thanks to its faith-filled storyline, something Shelton admits immediately drew him in when he first heard it.

As he explained to Country Now while backstage at the ACM Awards in Las Vegas in mid-May, he originally received the song after someone at his record label sent it his way. At first, he thought it was intended for another artist before quickly realizing, “That sounds like HARDY on that demo.”

Shelton recalls being “floored” by the song for several reasons, including the fact that it explores new ground for him as an artist, diving into themes of grief, keeping faith, and the hope for mercy after losing someone you love. In the song, the narrator sends a plea to God, asking to let his friend into heaven anyway despite an imperfect life.

“I love to be able to record a song that’s kind of an area, a subject that I haven’t covered yet. I mean, when you’ve been doing this a hundred years like I have, it’s hard to find something you haven’t said before and so this is definitely something that hasn’t been said. I don’t know that it’s ever been said in any song that I’ve ever heard before.”

Shelton has a long history with HARDY, having previously recorded several HARDY co-writes, including “God’s Country,” “Hell Right,” and “Come Back As A Country Boy.”

“It wasn’t presented to me as HARDY and once I heard it, I immediately said, ‘If I can, I’d like to record that song.’ And then a month or two went by before the session came up and HARDY texted me a day or two before we went into the recording session and said, ‘Man, are they messing with me? Are you really going to record this song?’ I go, ‘Man, I’m absolutely going to record that song,’” Shelton recalled.

“He said, ‘Well, man, that song means a lot to me. I wrote it with some friends and I’m really excited that you’re cutting it.’ He goes, ‘I just didn’t believe them for … I thought they were messing with me’ or whatever, which I don’t know why he thought that. I’ve cut a bunch of his songs over the years. He’s an incredible talent.”

For HARDY, who co-wrote “Let Him In Anyway” with Zach Abend, Kyle Clark, and Carson Wallace, the song carries a deeply emotional and polarizing message, one that he says resonates with many listeners.

“It’s a very polarizing song. And to be honest, when I sent that to Blake, I didn’t know about his story about his brother and all of that,” he explained to Country Now while backstage at CMA Fest. “It’s just a very polarizing song, but it’s a message that I think a lot of people deal with when they lose somebody that’s too early or maybe not, but that was a little bit wild and you kind of, I mean the first lines of the song are crazy thing, when somebody goes wondering where their soul went, and there’s a lot of wonder when it comes to that kind of thing. I think more than anything, it speaks to like if you have a message that you want to tell, convey to one of your friends, whether that’s witnessing to them or even just telling them to calm down a little bit or whatever it may be, I think it’s just a good message to send out to the world.”

HARDY also expressed deep gratitude for Shelton, crediting him for supporting his songwriting throughout his career.

“Blake has blown me away at how he’s just taken to my songs and my music…I moved to town to write, I wanted to write a song for Blake Shelton,” HARDY explained. “That’s who I model it after, and that gets into like the songwriters themselves and Craig Wiseman and all these people that wrote these great Blake Shelton songs. But he has really taken a chance on me and time after time I hear interviews of him just saying good things about me. So I love Blake. I love him.”

“Let Him In Anyway” is featured on Shelton’s latest album, For Recreational Use Only. The Oklahoma native recently brought the song to life in a music video, which can be viewed below.

The post Blake Shelton Reflects on ‘Let Him In Anyway’ as HARDY Opens Up About Writing the Song and Its Impact [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.

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The couple got married in a quickie wedding back in 2016. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

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Dylan Scott shared a hilarious moment on stage with his youngest son Barron during his performance at the Greeley Stampede in Greely, Colorado on Saturday, June 27.

The country star was in the midst of performing his rendition of the George Strait classic “Check Yes or No” while his two-year-old boy innocently reached towards the pit and grabbed a dollar given to him by a fan. He stared at the money momentarily before turning to try and show his earnings to his dad.

Scott didn’t take notice of what he had been given at first, but once Barron held it out, his dad finally saw what was in his hand. A smile spread across Scott’s face but he managed to finish out the performance before asking, “Where’d we get a dollar from, son?”

He took the mic of the stand and crouched down next to his boy announcing, “Barron made a whole dollar.” This time Barron heard him ask where the money came from, causing him to point in the direction of the generous fan standing right next to the stage.

The “Can’t Have Mine” singer later took to the comment section to reveal that he was “Still laughing about this 😂”

@landonh202 @DylanScott #dylanscott #greeleystampede #fyp ♬ original sound – TrueNest Realty 🏡

A “Part 2” video shared by the same concert-goer shows Barron collecting even more bills from the edge of the stage, just as he was about to leave.

“You got money just coming at you from all angles,” Scott said jokingly, prompting the little one to return and collect his earnings.

Scott thanked those who generously gifted to his son a few bills as well as a mini football, but told them “no more money.” Barron then followed his dad’s instructions to make his way off the stage and over to his mom.

@landonh202 @DylanScott #dylanscott #greeleystampede #fyp ♬ original sound – Landon

This hilarious and lighthearted moment took place during the festival held at island Grove Regional Park that ran for over a week, from Wednesday, June 24 through Sunday, July 5. Scott was one of several country acts that performed throughout the event, including Brothers Osborne, Jake Owen, Dasha, Nate Smith, Chase Matthew, Dierks Bentley and Cole Goodwin.

Dylan Scott and his wife Blair are parents to three children: sons Beckett Scott (born December 12, 2017) and Barron (born September 26, 2023), and daughter Finley Gray (born August 28, 2019). The multi-platinum Curb Records recording artist often finds himself recording songs inspired by his love for his family and the bond they share. Most recently, he released “Dear Big City,” a heartfelt new song that reflects on watching a child grow up and the emotions that come with knowing he may one day choose to leave small-town life behind.

The track penned by Jamie Paulin, Matt Alderman and Nate Kenyon made its radio world premiere on June 25.

“This song was captivating to me from the day I heard it, and I knew I wanted it to be my next single right away,” said Scott. “The lyric itself spoke to me because not only did I leave the small town when I was younger to move to Nashville to chase my dream, but I also know there are so many people in this world who have a similar story or know somebody who has. Whether parents had a kid leave home and move off to college or if the parents themselves did the same thing for a job, I think everyone can relate to a song like this.”

“Dear Big City” follows another emotional release, “Slow Down Ol’ Son,” which paid tribute to Scott’s late mother in a personal way, and his most recent No. 1, “What He’ll Never Have.”

Dylan Scott has been bringing his catalog of fan-favorites to the stage throughout his recently wrapped Till I Can’t I Will Tour. He is set to continue on the road with various fairs and festivals throughout the summer.

The post Dylan Scott’s Son Steals the Show After Fans Shower Him With Dollars During Concert appeared first on Country Now.

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Morgan Wallen turned Soldier Field into one massive singalong on Saturday June 10, delivering a nearly three-hour show that felt bigger, louder and more personal than ever before. This unforgettable night marked his second of two sold-out shows in the Windy City as part of his massive Still The Problem Tour.

Although there wasn’t a surprise guest to join Wallen in his signature walkout to the stage on this night, he still made a memorable entrance following a previously recorded intro video featuring This Past Weekend podcast host, Theo Von. As soon as the lights went down, smoke began to fill the stage while the synchronized light-up wristbands that every fan in the stadium was given to wear transformed the audience into a sea of glowing lights.

One of the most notable changes during this tour came even before launching into his hit-filled setlist. Rather than rushing into the performance at full speed, Wallen acknowledged that his goal this year was to take a moment to soak in each night a little longer. This allowed him to connect better with the audience and show his appreciation for their unwavering support.

“Thank you for that warm welcome,” the megastar told the packed crowd before explaining, “I used to come out on stage and kind of just go full speed ahead, but this year I started walking around, making sure I try to take this in for a couple minutes. And I’m always relying on you guys to give me energy, and I can tell that you guys will do that tonight, so thank you.”

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For the first stretch of the nearly two and a half hour show, Wallen leaned heavily into songs from his latest album, I’m The Problem, while mixing in favorites from 2023’s One Thing At A Time.

He opened with “Don’t We” before rolling through “I Wrote The Book,” “I’m The Problem,” “One Thing At A Time,” “I Got Better,” “20 Cigarettes,” “Love Somebody,” “Dark Til Daylight” and “Ain’t That Some.” Along the way, he treated longtime fans to earlier hits like “Chasin’ You” and “Heartless.”

Throughout the night, he made full use of the massive production scale, frequently moving between the main stage and side stages to make sure fans throughout all sections and levels of the stadium got an up-close experience. He even continued his tradition of transporting from the main stage to a second b-stage all the way in the back of the stadium, as a way to try and recreate that intimacy he had in smaller venues at the start of his career.

While weaving throughout the floor of the stadium to make his way to and from two stages, Wallen also took extra time to high five fans and make personal connections with those lining the barricades.

“One of the things I miss about the smaller venues is I could walk out on stage and look at everybody in the eyes and make that connection with you,” he told the crowd. “And it’s not quite possible for me to accomplish that these days but this is my attempt to bridge that gap. I come back here and look at some more of y’all in the eyes and tell you, ‘thank you’ for believing in me and my music. It means a lot to me, my family and my crew.”

For this stripped-down portion of the night, he performed “Cover Me Up,” “I’m A Little Crazy” and “Wasted On You,” creating one of the evening’s most intimate moments despite the stadium setting.

Returning to the main stage, the energy picked right back up. Rising acts who had taken the stage earlier on in the day with their own sets, Zach John King and Gavin Adcock, joined the Tennessee native for a lively performance of “Up Down” before he continued with “Cowgirls” and the fan-voted selection of the night, “7 Summers.”

The loudest sing-alongs of the evening came with tracks like “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” “You Proof,” “This Bar,” “More Than My Hometown,” “Just In Case,” “The Way I Talk” and “I Had Some Help.”

Along with the career-spanning setlist, Wallen delivered one of his biggest productions yet, complete with epic visuals across the massive LED screens, flames shooting from the stage and perfectly timed fireworks exploding overhead, giving fans a true stadium-sized concert.

Just when fans thought the night had come to an end, Wallen returned to the stage for an encore sporting a Chicago Bulls jersey, which prompted one of the loudest cheers of the evening. He kicked things off with “Sand In My Boots” before creating one of the most memorable moments in the show as he welcomed his direct support act, Ella Langley, back to the stage for their duet, “I Can’t Love You Anymore.”

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From there, Morgan Wallen brought the energy home with “Last Night” and “Whiskey Glasses,” sending the sold-out crowd out on a high note. As always, he closed the evening with his signature “Thank Yew” before fireworks lit up the Chicago sky one last time.

The show wrapped just before midnight, capping off another memorable stop on the Still The Problem Tour.

The massively popular stadium trek continues with two shows at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD on July 17 and July 18 before heading to Ann Arbor, MI and then wrapping up the tour at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on July 31 and August 1.

The post Morgan Wallen Delivers Nearly Three Hours of Hits, Explosive Production and Unforgettable Moments in Chicago appeared first on Country Now.

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